Since its founding in 1812, the city of Columbus has been a center of commerce, and for the last 130 years the Columbus Chamber has served the interests of local businesses.

Originally known as the Board of Trade, business leaders R.E. Sheldon, C.D. Firestone, Theodore Rhoads, P.W. Corzilius and Walter A. Mahoney incorporated the organization in 1884. (Pictured below: Articles of incorporation, courtesy of the Columbus Chamber).

The Board of Trade building was dedicated in 1889 (pictured below). The Chamber was located at the Broad Street HQ until the site was cleared for the development of the Rhodes State Office Tower in 1969. The Chamber moved to it's current location at 150 S. Front Street in 2008.

The city of Columbus honored the Chamber anniversary on Monday, April 28, and Mayor Michael Coleman has presented the organization with a certificate of recognition.

To mark the occassion, Chamber staff will volunteer at JA BizTown on May 2. Learn more about the history of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce in this video.

Hundreds of Ohio businesses are gearing up for the 9th annual Ohio Business Matchmaker held in Dayton, Ohio next week. As they prepare for their networking opportunities, past participants revel in success.

The Ohio Business Matchmaker helps Ohio small businesses get in front of government buyers who need their products and services. The Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Ohio Development Services Agency partner on this event. Participating buyers represent city, county, state and federal agencies, as well as prime contractors and other organizations with combined purchasing budgets representing millions of dollars in opportunities.

The Ohio Business Matchmaker runs from 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22, 2014 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, 2014 at the Hope Hotel, just outside the Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton.

The Columbus District Small Business Administration has recognized the following business owners as outstanding leaders. From the SBA announcement:

Ohio Small Business Person of the Year - Michelle Theresa Kerr, President, Oxford Consulting Group, Westerville, Oh. - Founded by Kerr in 1998, Oxford Consulting Group is a leading IT service and solutions provider that has developed, implemented and supported the technology portfolios of hundreds of companies across North America and the United Kingdom.

Small Business of the Year Honorable Mention - Darla King, President, King Business Interiors, Columbus, Oh – Founded by King in 1998, King Business Interiors is a commercial office furniture, flooring sales and design company. King now employs nearly 50 people and serves hundreds of clients throughout central Ohio.

Financial Services Champion of the Year Award – David T. Rivers, Certified Business Advisor, Ohio Small Business Development Centers, Columbus, Ohio - Rivers goes above and beyond to create a community and resources for small businesses and startup firms in need of capital.

SBA Veteran Small Business Champion – Mohan Viddam, Chairman and CEO, Dublin, Ohio - Halcyon is a premier IT solutions provider and has helped companies use technology to meet their business goals since 1992. Halcyon launched Veterans Workforce Development Program on Veterans Day 2011 which provides free IT training to dozens of military veterans every year.

Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Service Excellence and Innovation Center Award, Ryan Mapes, Director, Piketon, Ohio – The Ohio Small Business Development Center at Ohio State University South Centers provides entrepreneurial development assistance and business consulting to start-up and existing business owners. The Center’s counseling services are offered at “no cost” to the client.

SBA Women in Business Champion of the Year – Mary McCarthy, President, Your Management Team, Inc., Co-Founder, Women’s Small Business Accelerator, Inc. Your Management Team, Inc. is dedicated to developing and launching small businesses by assisting them in areas of strategic vision and growth. The Women’s Small Business Accelerator, a 501(c) 3 non-profit incubator, is focused on accelerating the growth of women-owned small businesses by providing office space and consultative services.

Women’s Business Center Excellence in Service Award – Ellen Harvey, Director, The Women’s Business Center of Ohio, Columbus, Ohio - The Women’s Business Center of Ohio aims to help women entrepreneurs take their business to the next level. The WBC is focused on providing counseling and training classes. The WBC also provides networking opportunities and access to resources such as professional coaches and advisors.

The Columbus District SBA event will honor our 2014 award winners at Celebrating Success in Small Business on May 29, 2014 at the Pinnacle Golf Club, Grove City, OH. Additional information about SBA’s programs and services is available at SBA’s Web site: www.sba.gov

Get ready to see a lot more Ohio during network programming. TourismOhio is launching it's 2014 campaign early this year. From today's announcement:

TourismOhio is launching the successful ad campaign Too Much Fun for Just One Day earlier than ever before for the spring/summer Ohio travel season. The 2014 media campaign launches April 14, nearly a month earlier than usual. The campaign is also being extended by a month through July.

TourismOhio has a new pilot funding model that is based on revenue generated from Ohio tourism industries. With twice the amount of funding as previous years, additional investments are being made to help tell the Ohio story.

In 2013, the Too Much Fun for Just One Day campaign resulted in a 15 to 1 Return on Investment (ROI) for Ohio and has shown continual growth since the inception of the campaign six years ago. That’s a return of $15 in state and local taxes for every $1 invested in tourism marketing. According to tourism research, when people stay overnight in Ohio they spend about three times more than day trippers.

Look for the TourismOhio spot in popular shows like the Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, American Idol, the Billboard Music Awards, Revenge, Good Morning America, and during local news. The television ads will run in the following markets:

The Columbus Walk MS, presented by Novartis, takes place tomorrow at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m.

The Ohio Buckeye Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is hosting MS Walk Columbus to raise funds for local programs, services and medical research. So far the event has raised 51% towards its $421,000 goal.

To donate, learn more about the event or the organization, call 1-800-344-4867 or visit www.MSohiowalk.org.

Headquartered in Valley Forge, PA, AmerisourceBergen's 87,000 square-foot Columbus center will be the hub of the company's supply-chain operations. The new center will add approx. 100 new employees to the company's existing 500 employees in Columbus. The center will process 96 million units of medication daily, according to AmerisourceBergen; the company handles 20% of all pharmaceuticals sold and distributed nationwide.

The Central Ohio Leadership Academy is taking student applications for the 2014 session. The COLA announcement includes details on a new curriculum partnership with the Ohio State University Buckeye Leadership Fellows Program:

The Central Ohio Leadership Academy (COLA), established in 2011 by the New Albany Community Foundation and presented by the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, is the preeminent leadership development experience for rising high school seniors in central Ohio.COLA contributes to building a strong pipeline of effective community leaders by positioning our most promising young people for greater success. During the intensive six-day COLA experience, students develop their leadership effectiveness by participating in professionally facilitated training sessions, interactive team challenges, and substantial discussions with peers and proven community leaders. Since its inception, COLA has graduated more than 100 students whose lives were significantly impacted by this weeklong endeavor that includes exploring and analyzing the following topics:

Personal leadership and individual strengths

Collaboration and teamwork

Ethical and value based decision-making

Community impact

Visioning and goal setting

Through a competitive application process, 45 students will be selected for the 2014 academy representing a balance of urban, suburban, and rural districts as well as public, private, and charter schools.

The 2014 Central Ohio Leadership Academy will take place on the main campus of The Ohio State University, Monday, June 16 through Saturday, June 21 from 8:00am - 4:00pm. Students interested in applying must complete an online application and submit one letter of recommendation by Friday, April 18th. To learn more about the program and the application process, visit our website at www.coleadershipacademy.org. COLA’s $1,700 student tuition is made free of charge to all students because of the program support provided by our sponsors Jeff and Christine Rodek, the Easton Community Foundation, and the New Albany Community Foundation.

In 2012, the New Albany Community Foundation designated COLA participants as the Central Ohio Leadership Academy Robert H. Schottenstein Fellows in honor of Robert Schottenstein, Chairman and CEO of M/I Homes, who has been particularly supportive of the program and participated as a speaker each year since the program began.

“Five years ago this type of leadership program didn’t exist,” said Robert Schottenstein. “The fact that high school students are even thinking about leadership at their age puts them light years ahead. These students entered into the program with a curious mind and came to realize what a difference one person can make in the lives of others. The enthusiasm is touching.”

Numerous community leaders have participated in discussions with the students of COLA since it began three years ago in addition to Mr. Schottenstein. Past speakers include Former Ohio Supreme Court Justice, Yvette McGee Brown; Past Chairman of Chrysler Group, C. Robert Kidder; United States District Judge, Algenon Marbley; Columbus Metropolitan Library CEO, Patrick Losinski; Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland Council Inc. CEO, Tammy Wharton; and CEO of The Columbus Foundation, Doug Kridler.

This year, COLA is proud to announce that the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio has taken on the program’s administrative responsibilities as its presenting partner. “ESC is the perfect partner for COLA,” said Program Director Jordan Davis. “Tom Goodney and his team of experienced educational leaders and service providers will nurture the continued growth of COLA allowing us to expand our impact in central Ohio.” Additionally, the program has strengthened its content delivery capacity by entering into a formal curriculum partnership with The Ohio State University’s Buckeye Leadership Fellows Program (BLF) in the Office of Student Life.

For the second year, FCBank is offering $500 scholarships to graduating seniors who plan to pursue higher education focused on business. This year they are substantially expanding the program, offering a $500 scholarship to a student at each of the 21 area high schools where FCBank branches are located. (The) program (will award scholarships) totaling $10,500.

Scholarship recipients who meet all the requirements (See requirements here) will be chosen based primarily on their essay. The deadline is April 17.

High School graduating seniors with intentions to further their education at a college or university and seeking a business-related degree. Students must attend a high school in the FCBank market area including Bucyrus, Mt. Hope, Shiloh, Cardington, Worthington, Upper Arlington, and Dublin. Dependents of Directors or Officers of FCBank are not eligible to apply.

Essay Theme If you could have dinner with any figure from American history, who would it be and why? What specific issues would you discuss?

Essay Requirements

A minimum of 300 words

Typed and double-spaced

Participant name and/or family names should not appear on the essay

Submission Requirements Along with the essay, applicants should provide:

A brief summary of participation in community and school activities

Two letters of recommendation from a present or past educator

Two non-family references that can provide personal insight into the applicant

Judging Essays will be judged on originality and how well ideas are expressed. Contributions to both school and community will be considered, as well as recommendations and reference checks.

Ways to Submit

Complete the online application below and upload your essay and letters of recommendation OR